IAEA says safety at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant deteriorates

Vienna (Reuters): Safety at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is deteriorating following a drone strike that hit the road around the perimeter on Saturday, according to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) director general Rafael Grossi.

The Russian management of the plant said a Ukrainian drone dropped an explosive charge on a road outside, endangering its staff who use the highway, the TASS state news agency reported.

The Chinese news agency CGTN reported that the IAEA experts stationed at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP) immediately visited the impact site "close to the essential cooling water sprinkler ponds and about 100 meters from the Dniprovska power line of the ZNPP," after being informed of the drone attack on Saturday that "hit the road around the plant site perimeter," the agency said in a statement.

Although there were no casualties or impact on any equipment at the plant, there was "impact to the road between the two main gates of ZNPP," the statement read.

"Yet again, we see an escalation of the nuclear safety and security dangers facing the ZNPP," Grossi said, reiterating his calls for maximum restraint from all sides.

The IAEA said its experts on site have reported "intense" military activity over the past week in the area, "including very close to the plant," and "there is no sign" of the military activity there abating.

"The team has heard frequent explosions, repetitive heavy machine gun and rifle fire, and artillery at various distances from the plant," the United Nations nuclear watchdog said.

A fire broke out at a cooling tower of ZNPP last weekend, with Russia and Ukraine blaming each other for the incident. The fire "resulted in considerable damage, although there was no immediate threat to nuclear safety," according to the IAEA.